The Gaia Foundation was founded in 1984 when there was much concern about how - after four decades of development - ecological degradation, poverty and inequity were growing. Gaia was formed to explore another way.

We chose 'Gaia' because this is the name of the ancient Greek Mother Goddess Earth, and also the name of James Lovelock's 'Gaia Hypothesis', which recognizes that our Earth is a living, self-regulating whole.

Gaia's mission is to work in partnership with those who are committed to ecological governance through restoring cultural and biological diversity, which we believe is the basis for building ecological and community resilience. When we understand the dynamics of the eco-system in which we live, we are more likely to respect the laws of the Earth in a mutually enhancing way.

We work with local and indigenous communities who take for granted that 'If we destroy the Earth we destroy ourselves.' We see that the multiple crises which we are facing now - from climate change and global economic collapse to community breakdown and species extinction - are all interconnected and require, therefore, a unified response at a deeper level of thinking. As Einstein says, 'With the splitting of the atom everything has changed save our mode of thinking and thus we drift towards unparalelled disaster.'

We are a small team who work with a wide network of individuals and organizations in South America, Africa, Asia and Europe in order to create vibrant, diverse, just ways of living on our planet, and so to counter the consequences which we see inevitably arising from the concentration of unaccountable power and control in the hands of a few.

How we work

A small team (Gaia staff) works closely with Gaia Associates and partner organisations, with occasional support from researchers and volunteers. Activities involve:

• Support to pioneering people and projects, strategic planning, networking, fundraising and financial management.
• Coalition -building, strategic planning, advocacy, research and information exchange on key issues.
• Raising awareness and influencing policy to better protect the social and ecological integrity of the planet.

Community initiatives, field projects and advocacy are supported in South America, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Publications include books, reports and audio-visual materials. Regular briefings are issued on Climate-Biodiversity-Livelihoods are circulated, along with news on Community Ecological Governance.

Our Gaia Learning Centre hosts a programme of talks (Gaia Evenings), workshops and other events with international and inspiring guest speakers.

The office has a Code of Ethics, and staff assume a personal responsibility to live ecologically in the workplace and at home.

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Gaia Internship

6-month internship, including research and writing on Gaia-Earth systems science and climate change.
More info & how to apply.

In Memoriam:
Thomas Berry 1914-2009

The Universe is a communion of subjects not a collection of objects.

Theologian, scholar, eminent cultural historian, and a cherished Patron of the Gaia Foundation, Thomas Berry passed away on 1st June. He remains in our hearts, reminding us of the beauty of nature and of our role and responsibilities within the wider Earth community.

Learn more about our work to develop a new Earth Jurisprudence, inspired by Thomas Berry.

Gaia Learning Centre

Learning to live with ecological integrity.

2009 Programme of Gaia workshops and evening talks.

Earth Ethics - abstracts from Gaia Evenings. View all.

Podcasts - audio recordings from Gaia Events. View all.

Earth is Community - DVDs
A set of DVDs celebrating the vision and path of Thomas Berry.

More Ideas

Be informed or inspired, with some of Gaia's international network

Pig Business - shocking exposé of corporate pig farming, by Tracy Worcester, environmental activist and Gaia Trustee - on More 4, Tuesday 30 June, 10pm.

Cosmology of Convergence - with Brian Swimme, Sophia Center Summer Institute, 16-21 July.

Landscapes of the Mind -lectures, workshops and nature, The Eden Project, 25-27 September.

The Challenge for Africa and award-winning documentary Taking Root - about Gaia Associate and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai.

Social Edge - for blogs and moving stories from social entrepreneurs, and a recent interview with Martín von Hildebrand, director of Fundación Gaia Amazonas.

Sacred Land Film Project - dedicated to protecting the Earth's sacred places through education and advocacy.